Looking for a high-performance helmet with the latest technology? The lincoln welding helmet 3350 4C is a serious contender. After 2 years of using this hood, the fourth-generation series of the helmet is the one to get with the X6 headgear the 3350 welding helmet is a joy to wear on those long shifts.
With Lincoln adding the external grind button, the latest generation of the 3350 4C you won’t be taking it off to switch the grind mode on. This will increase arc time and reduce frustration.
How do I know? I have been using the 3350 4C for the last 6 months at work as a coded welder in an industrial setting as well as at home, making projects for my YouTube Channel. So this is my Lincoln Viking 3350 review
Lincoln Viking 3350 Review Of The 4C Lens Technology
The brains of the hood look similar to the older type filters that Lincoln has produced in regards to the dial type adjustments. It works great so why change it. Having the adjustment inside keeps the helmet narrower, enabling you to get into smaller areas easier. You will notice in the photo that at the top of the lens you see another new switch.
This changes the dark state range left for 5 to 8 and slides to the right for 9 to 13. Shade 5 is perfect for using your Lincoln welding helmet as a full face shield while gas cutting. Nothing worse than getting a face full of molten steel when trying to blow a hole in a job.
Battery Type And Solar Switching
The helmet is powered by and comes fitted with a CR2450 battery and it supplements the solar panel in the operation of switching modes. This pushes out a battery replacement to about 2000 hrs.
Delay Adjustment On The Viking 3350 4CWelding Helmet
See FIG 1 # The delay feature is set to each specific weld parameter. With the adjustment from 0.01 of a second to 1 second. For example, if you are welding heavy plate with a very high voltage for MIG or FCAW when you have completed your weld and the lens switches from dark to light too quickly, the weld pool will still be white-hot and hurt your eyes. Then you have to wait for them to adjust back before you can lay another bead or tidying the stop-starts.
Viking 3350 4C Sensitivty control
See FIG 1 # Whether you are in a busy workshop environment or in the home garage, sensitivity is another needed feature. Any TIG welding at low amps requires a helmet capable of detecting the arc. The Lincoln welding helmet has not let me down on any of my jobs.
I have used the helmet down as low as 20 amps welding 24 gauge steel on a heater box restoration, with no problems whatsoever. Lincoln states the 3350 can run as low as 2 amps.
In the workshop, I am able to set the sensitivity higher to avoid my workmate’s arc flashes to switch my helmet. Another example is if I look up and the workshop doors are wide open the sunlight doesn’t switch it. This was a big problem with the older auto-darkening helmets or cheaper brands.
Shade Range For The 3350 Welding Helmet
See FIG 1 # The latest 4C lens has a shade range of 5 to 13 making this helmet suitable for any process you require. The dials are far enough apart you can turn the dial even if you are wearing TIG or riggers gloves.
Viewing Area Of The 3350 Filter / Cartridge
The 3.74 x 3.34 inches or 95 x 85 mm makes getting into a difficult position and still being able to see the weld area clearly a lot easier. Visibility aids productivity which makes for a better weld in a shorter time reducing repairs or dressing the welds.
Arc Sensors
The lincoln 3350 4C has been fitted with 4 arc sensors. With 4 sensors instead of the standard 2, there is no chance of all of the sensors being obstructed. If the sensors get blocked, it will switch the helmet to light state during a weld and give you a flash. Cheaper helmets don’t offer that level of protection.
Switching Time
The Switching time is the measurement from light to the dark state. The lower the better. Lincoln’s 3350 4C is 1/25,000 of a second. This is as good as any of the reputable brands on the market at the moment.
Lincoln’s 4C light state
The Lincoln has a light state of 3.5, putting it in between the Digital Infinity’s 3 and the ESAB Sentinel’s 4. Below is a comparison I did with natural light and the Light state. It is as close to what you see. The camera does’t truly represent the color I tried my best. You will not be disappointed with it.
Clarity 1/1/1/1
The Lincoln 4C lens technology Is class leading, beating both the Miller Digital infinity and the Esab Sentinel A50. These both come in with 1/1/1/2. The optics of the Lincoln 3350 has a perfect score of 1/1/1/1. Here is article on what the numbers mean.
New External Grind Button
Now with the improved light state of the Viking 3350 4C lens, it is an added bonus to have the external grind button on the left-hand side of the helmet. It’s a low profile design to avoid being bumped is a nice feature. It has a change of texture ring around it so you can feel the button through your heavy welding gloves to confirm that you are in the right spot.
To engage the grind mode, you need to hold the button down for 3 seconds. Again avoiding accidentally engaging the function. Once on, the indicator light next to the shade dial flashes green intermittently to let you know it is on.
Switch back by holding the button down again for another 3 seconds, the green flashing will stop knowing you are good to go.
X6 HeadGear
Lincoln has done a great job of designing a very comfortable headgear. It gets its name by having 6 different points of head contact relieving pressure points after long periods of welding. The addition of the flexible cushioned back pad is highly rated amongst other users of the hood as well. The ratchet type adjustment is common on the premium type helmets and it is superior to anything else. The sweatband has a nice big lincoln logo on it. When the hood is up, it stays up and it doesn’t block your field of vision. Very important if you are in a confined area such as inside of a boat hull or pipe bridge.
Weight Of The Hood
Lincoln states on their product information the hood weighs 21 oz or 595 grams. Obviously I need new scales because my scales say 640 grams. This is getting up in the weight range for a helmet, but this is a trade-off for the large viewing area and the ergonomic headgear.
Using the helmet over the last 4 months at work I found it is heavier than my old flip helmet but it wasn’t enough for me to mind, considering the benefits it offered.
What Is Included With The Lincoln 3350 4C
- The hood comes with a really nice helmet bag and a zip pocket to hold spare clear lenses safely.
- 5 outside cover lenses
- 2 inside lenses
- Foose bandana
- Sticker/decal sheet
- Owners manual
- Fitted CR2450 battery
- 3-year warranty
Lincoln Welding Helmet Parts And Accessories
If you want to stand out from the sea of black welding helmets out there, Lincolns range in the Viking 3350 will not disappoint. At the time of writing this post, there are 12 eye-catching designs available. Sadly, when I brought mine Amazon didn’t ship the Graphic ones to Perth. This might have changed by now. The helmet can also be fitted with a PAPR (powered air purity respirator) filter to protect your respiratory system. Other popular items are genuine replacement sweatbands and clear lenses to make the most of the optic quality. Lincoln also has the clips to accept the magnifying lenses (cheater Lenses) These are available from the Lincoln website ranging from MAG # 1 all the way to MAG # 2.5 in increments of .25. There are also aftermarket decals kits available to change the look of your hood if you need a change. The replacement batteries are also readily available.
Final Thoughts Of The Lincoln Electric Welding Helmet Viking 3350 4c
I use a 3M half mask and the Honeywell low profile earmuffs during my shifts at work and I was worried they wouldn’t fit. But everything was good. The 3350 Viking helmet fitted it all no problem. The helmet sits off the half mask a bit, so I will be fitting a leather welding helmet bib. This is normal and I had one on my old style flip helmet too.
The light state of the helmet and the grind button was most excited about, and the price had dropped enough for me to open up the wallet and buy it. Not to mention third party manufacturers now sell replacement clear lenses. This makes it cheaper to run at work, being able to change to cover lenses often.
I am very impressed with the helmet for comfort performance and looks. The blue color of the lens when welding took a bit of getting used to, but the clarity of the lens was on point.
While using the helmet I have passed every x-ray, ultrasound, hydro and magnetic particle test. So I rate the helmet very highly. Thanks for taking the time to read my Lincoln Viking 3350 review of this helmet and checking out Welding Empire. If you could share the article with anyone looking to buy a new Lincoln helmet to aid in their buying decision I would be very grateful. If you want to see the Helmet in action, click on the link.
